Rotax two stroke engines. Any advice?

[docmirror]

I've been looking at a few low and slow type planes. They seem to universally have the Rotax 582 or 503 engines. I'm not familiar with the type, other than from my snowmobile days. If you have any experience with these engines, and can provide advice on reliability, mx, issues, or preventative operations please speak up.

My mission is simple, just get up for a few hours on weekends, and bore holes in the sky. I'd like to get something that will give decent service up to about 6-8000' elevation, which means some type of mixture, but with two strokes, I don't know if that's possible due to the fuel oil mix?

 

[gibbons]

Run like a deer.

Actually, I have flown behind two-stroke Rotax engines and would do so again if I always, always had a place below me to land safely. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when. My experience has been that these are NOT reliable aircraft engines. If I had to own one I'd prefer the 582 over the 503.

 

[Dean]

I agree with Chip, they will die sooner or later, but I always fly expecting any engine to shoot craps at any time. There are a lot of the 503 and 582s flying and doing a good job, but TBO is only about 300 hours. Overhaul cost is not that much and some owners look at them as throw aways instead of overhauling them. I too would prefer the water cooled 582 over the air cooled 503, but you will pay a couple grand more. As for doing the 6000 altitude, they will go that high, but they perform best in the less than 3000 range. If you do the Challenger II they work as a motor glider and soar very well. Just climb to your altitude and shut it off. Fuel burn on the 503 this about 3.5 GPH, so they are cheap to fly.

 

[docmirror]

Well, at the cost of operation, and purchase, we're not going to get Lycoming reliability. I've already accounted for that. The plane I'm looking at has a Rotax 582 model 99 with gearbox C, optional oil pump, and about 155 hours. The 300 hour TBO is not what the Rotax owners are saying, although a lot is going to depend on use cycle.

I've considered scrapping the 582, or sell it for parts and change to a 912. The weight increase is only about 35 lbs over the 582 due to the lack of gearbox, and the water jackets are very similar.

 

[Dean]

What airplane are you going to be putting it on? The 912 is very pricey compared to the 503/582 and you will only gain 16 HP over the 582, that is unless you opt for the 100 HP model and then you are going to shell out about $20K.